


That's All They Ask Of Him

by Dagonet (AgentDagonet)



Series: Tumblr Prompts [31]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, Merlin gets a fish tank, Multi, mentions of The Incredible Mr Limpet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:00:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23921239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentDagonet/pseuds/Dagonet
Summary: anarchycox asked:Merlin/anyone. They get him a fish tank for his office because they read fish are good for stress. how he reacts is up to you.
Relationships: Harry Hart | Galahad/Merlin/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Series: Tumblr Prompts [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/350969
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	That's All They Ask Of Him

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anarchycox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/gifts).



‘Perfect.’ Harry took a step backward, arms crossed, and Eggsy ran a hand through his hair with a crooked grin. **  
**

The tank itself was obnoxiously huge, took an entire corner of the office, and housed a couple dozen small fish. Despite the size it was simple, propped up on a shelf made of some dark wood that looked posh without being obnoxious.

‘Y’sure Merlin ain’t gonna kill us for doing this?’

‘Nonsense- it’s nearly self-sufficient, and the things we couldn’t automate have been scheduled out for the next ten years. He’s being given a stress reducer that literally all he has to do is observe. Unlike,’ Harry raised a brow, ‘the miniature zen garden you gave him that still has ‘fucking use me’ written in the sand.’

‘Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Ten quid it’s a month b’fore he throws a curtain or somethin’ over it with some stupid excuse. Like, “they were giving me a headache” or “it was too bright” or some stupid shite like that.’

‘You’re on.’ Harry took a pen and a pad of paper from the desk and wrote a brief note. He folded it up into a heart, like the sap he was, and set it in the centre of the keyboard before putting a hand at the small of Eggsy’s back and guiding him from the room.

‘Since the fuck when did you do origami?’

‘The Alps are far more boring than they seem, Eggsy. I can only hope that you don’t learn as much the way I did.’

It took, predictably, milliseconds for Merlin to notice and dismiss the tank in the corner. It was unimportant, compared to the mission he was wrapped up in Handling. But he noticed it, and smiled softly at the tiny zen garden that had acquired yet another small stone, before continuing with his day as normal.

For all that he loved them, his boyfriends (and what a childish term for such a significant part of his life) didn’t seem to understand that, as stressful as Kingsman could be, it wasn’t the kind of stress that he could be without. It was like the thumping of his heart, the blinking of his eyes, the insatiable need for oxygen in his lungs- something he couldn’t separate from himself if he tried. If he were ever inclined to do so.

So, yes, the little zen garden was a kind thought- but the fact that it had been a gift from Eggsy was what kept it there. And every time it was altered, a new stone or message written in the small sand-filled box, that was what kept his sanity. He didn’t need to do something himself to alleviate the stress- his stress was built from having to _do things_ \- he needed the tangible reminder that someone was trying to help him. That they cared and noticed.

Logically knowing such things was a great boon- but when irrational fears took root the tangible was the only way to chase those demons away.

The tank was a bit more difficult to figure out. It didn’t move, the tank didn’t become dirty, the fish did not grow or change, the dim light came on and turned itself off with little fanfare. It simply Was, and that somehow was what kept bringing it to his attention. It didn’t change, a strange steady presence amidst the chaos.

And neither of them had made any mention of it. They’d acted as if it had always been there, and that alone had made him suspicious. But nothing happened, and after a few days he stopped wondering and simply moved along. He waited for the day a fish would die from his negligence, and the heartbroken look he would receive in turn, but it never came.

One evening, with everyone home and in varying states of exhaustion in the sitting room, Eggsy shot up in place. He grabbed his phone and turned on the telly, eventually grinning to himself.

‘You ever seen Limpet?’

‘Pardon?’ Harry blinked into awareness, brows drawn, and Merlin simply raised a brow in Eggsy’s direction.

‘Th’Incredible Mr Limpet, it’s a film- you seen it? Woulda been out when you were kids, you’re ancient enough-’ Merlin swat out at Eggsy, who had seen it coming and dodged, but he hadn’t been able to avoid Harry’s leg as it swept him. As Eggsy’d say the move was nearly Drift Compatible, and he and Harry shared a smile.

‘Can’t say that it sounds familiar.’

‘Don Knotts? American actor- voiced the turtle in Cats Don’t Dance?’ Eggsy looked between them, eyes searching but lips upturned.

‘I assure you, Eggsy, that neither of us have any idea of what you’re talking about.’ Merlin knew that the statement wouldn’t remain true for long, going from the younger man’s earnest expression, and settled himself in for what would undoubtedly be an unforgettable evening.

The following days were surprisingly quiet. Oh, sure, Eggsy’d changed their message tones to a now-familiar thrum, but otherwise nothing had changed.

Or, so Eggsy had assumed.

One evening, in the hours where Eggsy knew Percival was asleep and Lancelot was simply gathering information, he walked to Merlin’s office in the hopes of getting him to take a break. Not to leave his office, in the midst of all this he knew he would never manage that, but a cuppa and maybe a kip. But.

But.

There was singing. A familiar nonsense tune that had him grinning to himself as he tapped one end of his specs to begin recording.

‘ _And if she gives her tail a swish, and winks a fishy eye- a minnow all at once can be a whale of a guy,’_ Merlin cut himself off, humming, as Eggsy made his way into the room with the steaming cup of tea and set it upon the desk. The empty desk, as Merlin was crouched before the tank with a soft smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> You can always find me on tumblr at [AgentDagonet](http://www.agentdagonet.tumblr.com) feel free to send me prompts or recs or just pop by to chat :)


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